Jack Blades | Rock N Roll Ride

by Ron Higgins
Staff Writer –

Rock N Roll Ride is the semi-biographical 2nd solo album by Night Ranger and Damn Yankees front-man, Jack Blades. Jack has been on quite an impressive ride for 30 years, beginning with Night Ranger’s classic 1982 debut Dawn Patrol, and if this release is any indication, he has no plans to exit the ride any time soon!

Coming off the heels of last year’s excellent Night Ranger release Somewhere in California, Jack releases a collection of mostly hard-driving, guitar-blazing tracks with the obligatory ballad thrown in. The songs are catchy, the hooks are big, the choruses are mammoth and the production is pristine. It’s basically everything you’d expect from someone with his pedigree and he brings along some of his Night Ranger brethren and a few other rock and roll heavyweights to join the fun. Fellow Rangers Brad Gillis, Kelly Keagy, Eric Levy and Joel Hoekstra make guest appearances as does Cheap Trick’s legendary singer Robin Zander who co-wrote one of the tunes and even adds his vocals to it. Additionally, Jack’s son Colin contributed as did other musicians like Will Evankovich, Christian Cullen, Alan Hertz, and Whitesnake’s Brian Tichy. Overall, it’s not a perfect release but it’s pretty darn good. Although he’s been at it for over three decades, this release shows that Jack is still at the top of his game.

The album starts off very strong with two of the best tracks on the album kicking things into high gear. The lead track (and video) “Back in the Game” is a high-energy rocker that sets the tone for the whole album right from the starting gate. It features blistering guitar work and a big melody. Lyrically, it’s an uplifting tune, advising that when you get knocked down, get back up and get “back in the game”. Interestingly, Jack’s son Colin lends his vocals to this track and is also featured in the video as a soldier. Two of his greatest inspirations are music and American military history so he combined the two into this song’s video and dedicated it to all of the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

The second song is the title track and is another big rocker. As good as the opening track is, this one manages to be even better. This could easily be the lead track as it too sets the appropriate hard-rocking tone and has the advantage of being the title track and basically a summary of Jack’s life. The chorus is extremely catchy and the crunchy guitar work is reminiscent of Blur’s classic “Song 2”. Drummer du jour Brian Tichy sits behind the skins on this one. Two songs in, and it’s already clear that this release is something special.

Next up is the mandatory ballad “Hardest Word To Say.” With landmark ballads like Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian” and the Damn Yankees hit “High Enough” the bar is set pretty high for any Jack Blades ballad and this one definitely lives up to expectations. It’s musically awesome and lyrically poignant. This is a song of lost love where the singer knows that the relationship is over but still feels strong enough for his lover that he can’t bring himself to utter the hardest word to say… goodbye.

The next song, “Anything For You” is interesting because it was co-written by Robin Zander who also put in a guest vocal on the song. It’s a slower number with a Beatle-esque quality. It’s got a strong George Harrison sound and vibe to it.

Other standout tracks include “Love Life”, “Say You Will” and “Hey Now.” “Love Life” is the 5th track and it kicks the tempo back up after the two slower songs. It too is an upbeat, optimistic tune about loving life and enjoying the California lifestyle. Thematically, this could easily fit on Night Ranger’s most recent release, Somewhere in California, as could the next track “West Hollywood”, which is a psychedelic track that channels Tom Petty (to a somewhat eerie level), placing the listener at the intersection of Haight-Ashbury, right down to the lyrical nod to Hendrix with the line “Are you experienced in love?” This was actually co-written with Jack’s son Colin. “Say You Will” is another up-tempo rocker, this time featuring a nice lead solo from fellow Night Ranger band-mate Brad Gillis. Kelly Keagy plays the drums on this one as well as the bluesy gospel rocker “Hey Now” that closes the album. It features another exceptional blistering lead and has a real Black Crowes feel to it. A nice, interesting way to wrap up the album.

Other tracks include “Born for This”, lyrically celebrating people’s passions, “Don’t Give Up”, another motivational track with a killer chorus, and “Rise and Shine”, a song that starts off slow with a moody Doors-like atmosphere due to the keyboards and then launches into a full-on guitar attack.

Overall, this is a very good album and an excellent follow-up to last year’s impressive Night Ranger release. It brings the listener along on Jack’s lifetime journey of rocking for a living. It’s got big guitars and big melodies and highlights the vocal prowess of Jack’s voice as well as his impressive songwriting ability. When melodic hard rock is done well, it allows the listener to escape into a vision of sunny skies, palm trees and cruising down the avenue in your convertible ’65 Mustang with your best girl by your side. So grab your Turtle Wax and put a shine on your favorite cruising vessel because this release is definitely done right. Strap yourself in and get ready for a rock and roll ride!

Band:
Jack Blades: Bass, guitar, acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals
Joel Hoekstra: Guitars and solos
Will Evankovich: Acoustic Guitars, mandolin, additional guitars, coral sitar guitar, backing vocals
Kelly Keagy, Brian Tichy: Drums
Eric Levy, Christian Matthew Cullen: Keyboards

Track Listing:
1. Back In The Game
2. Rock N Roll Ride
3. Hardest Word To Say
4. Anything For You
5. Love Life
6. West Hollywood
7. Born For This
8. Don’t Give Up
9. Say You Will
10. Rise And Shine
11. Hey Now

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: http://www.jackblades.net/

Hardrock Haven Rating: 9/10

Trixter | New Audio Machine

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Fans who have been chomping at the bit to sink their teeth—well, ears, technically—into this comeback album from Trixter will find it to be a mixed bag. There are some sweet melodic hard rock treats to be savored, but there are some less-tasty tricks as well. The balance is slightly tipped toward the former, but the unwelcome presence of the latter means this is not the classic Trixter reunion fans hoped for.

Sound-wise, this albums cleaves closely to Hear!, the band’s cult-beloved sophomore effort that came out twenty years ago. (Yes, now would be the appropriate time for everyone to moan, “Holy shit, I feel old.”) While the debut was undone by anorexic production, Hear! corrected that flaw with a bulkier, harder, less-glammy style that improved on its predecessor in practically every department. Two decades later, Trixter has wisely picked up where that sophomore album left off. New Audio Machine sounds absolutely killer, engineered for a thick sonic spectrum that takes full advantage of current production technology without sounding overly modern or hopelessly retro. You can crucify some of the songwriting choices on this album—and make no mistake, we will—but you cannot crucify the production. This sounds damn good, and kudos to those who catch the Trixter reference right there.

Also sounding sweeter than a sack full of Halloween candy is the axe work of Steve Brown. In some critical circles the music of Trixter has been called generic, but even those who blasted the band often praised the six-string skills of Brown and nothing here justifies altering that assessment. Brown’s sharp, sizzling prowess is all over New Audio Machine. Also showing no signs of rust is vocalist Pete Loran and between these two, not to mention the other original members who have all returned for this new album, they manage to give a portion of this release that classic Trixter sound.

But therein lays the rub; only some of New Audio Machine is immediately identifiable as Trixter. Sometimes this is everything you want from a Trixter album; other times, you’re left wondering what this or that song is doing on a Trixter album. New Audio Machine works in snippets, but taken a whole the album lacks that cohesive Trixter vibe. The band always brought a sense of anthemic power to the table, but on this new album the hooks sometimes falter and the rush of anticipatory excitement fades into the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations. None of the songs are dreadful—nothing on this release will make you want to chop off your ears—but a few too many just aren’t up to snuff.

But cast aside critical cynicism, focus on a glass half-full philosophy, and you will find plenty of assets. “Get On It” for example, with its slamming beat, banging rhythms, dynamic chorus, and gang vocal enhancements, is classic Trixter. Then there is “Dirty Love,” which is not only the best kind, but also one of the best tracks. Simplistic, sure, but in a retro-cool kind of way. The song just screams the ‘80s…you’ll just scream along to the song. The album highlight is the first single, “Tattoos & Misery,” which comes equipped with more catchiness than any one song has a right to. “Save Your Soul” is the kind of turn-it-up-to-ten anthem that was a staple of ‘80s metal, built out of hooky power chords and a huge chorus with gang vocals shouting, “Rock and roll will save your soul.” Yeah, it’s dumb and loud and bloated with enough Velveeta to give even KISS pause, but somehow Trixter make it work.

And so it goes, great songs mixed with so-so songs intertwined with some outright filler. Sure, this album could have—some might say, should have—been better, but it also could have been much, much worse. Ultimately, though this is a flawed effort from the band, there are enough treats on here to make it worth taking a ride on Trixter’s hard rock machine.

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock

Band:
Pete Loran (lead vocals)
Steve Brown (guitars)
P.J. Farley (bass)
Mark “Gus” Scott (drums, percussion)

Track Listing
1. Drag Me Down
2. Get On It
3. Dirty Love
4. Machine
5. Live for the Day
6. Ride
7. Physical Attraction
8. Tattoos & Misery
9. The Coolest Thing
10. Save Your Soul
11. Walk With a Stranger

Webpage: www.facebook.com/trixterrocks

Label: Frontiers Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Wild Frontier | 2012

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Half a decade has passed since this German band released their last CD. In the world at large, much has changed since then. Obama is the President of the United States. Bin Laden bit a bullet. Miley Cyrus is now legal. But what has not changed in those five years is the sound of Wild Frontier. Catchy melodic hard rock is what they were playing back then… catchy melodic hard rock is what they’re playing today.

Wild Frontier’s style is in the Bonfire vein, with some Def Leppard (mainly in the layered harmonies) and Scorpions sprinkled into the mix. They are a pure blood melodic hard rock band who give the cold shoulder to modern trends like the prissily pretty cheerleader snubbing a date request from the school dork. They have zero tolerance for current fads, no interest in crossbreeding with other genres. Their guitars are just edgy enough to earn them the “hard” tag, the keys are subtle enough to avoid the “AOR” label, and the slick hooks and slicker choruses elevate this from a solid effort into an excellent one.

Someone could argue the songwriting is simplistic at times, but that someone would be nitpicking, splitting hairs, and just generally being a grump. The arrangements here are focused on creating addictive melodies and alluring refrains, not on impressing anyone with complexity. There are thousands of prog-rock and metal bands out there more than willing to wow you with technical wizardry; Wild Frontier just want you to tap your foot, bang your head, and sing along.

Speaking of singing…the lead vocals are laced with a noticeable accent, but nothing that should faze anyone who grew up listening to European hard rock. If your ears can handle Klaus Meine (Scorpions) or Claus Lessman (Bonfire), then they can handle Jens Walkenhorst. English not being his native tongue, the vocalist received some coaching in proper inflection from a respected rock journalist here in the States and it seems those lessons served him well.

The album is engineered exactly as it needs to be, each element allowed room to breathe; everything sounds open and airy. Those who prefer their production be packed with more beef than a Burger King freezer and enjoy their Sonics thicker than Rosie O’Donnell’s thighbone may find the overall sound of this album to be a bit tame, but Wild Frontier are aiming for crisp and clean, not crushing and crunchy.

But that hardly means these guys are lightweights. For proof, look no further than “Stay Tough,” an ‘80s-style anthem that sports the kind of fist-pumping power you expected from a band like Keel or Black ‘N Blue back in the day. More evidence can be found in “Long Gone,” a full-throttle rocker punched up with gang vocal “whoas,” ripping guitars, and a chopping, rapid-fire rhythm. Really, the only duff track is the instrumental opener, which is as unnecessary as…well, as unnecessary as instrumental openers always are. Heck, the band even pulls off a miracle by making ABBA sound cool with a rocking cover of “Gimme Gimme Gimme.” Yes, you just read “ABBA” and “cool” in the same sentence and it wasn’t a joke.

2012 has already been a banner year in melodic hard rock and it just keeps getting better. At one point Wild Frontier pose the plaintive question, “Why are the good things too hard to find?” Well, if the “good thing “ they are referring to is a high-quality melodic hard rock album, then it’s not too hard to find—it’s right here.

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock

Band:
Jens Walkenhorst (lead vocals, guitar)
Mario Erdmann (bass)
Thomas Ellenberger (keyboards)
Sascha Fahrenbach (drums, guitar)
Nico Fahrenback (drums)

Track Listing
1. 2012
2. To the End of the World
3. It’s All Over Now
4. Another Lonely Day Without You
5. Why Don’t You Save Me
6. Stay Tough
7. Favorite
8. It’s All Up To You
9. Tonight Tonight Tonight
10. Can’t You Hear Me Calling
11. Long Gone
12. Why are the Good Things Too Hard to Find
13. Gimme Gimme Gimme (ABBA cover)

Webpage: www.wildfrontier.de

Label: Frontiers Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.8/10

Furyon | Gravitas

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Furyon was born from the ashes of the melodic rock band Pride, but anyone expecting a similar sound will be more pissed than a polecat receiving a pepper spray enema. While still maintaining a melodic edge, this is more modern, intense, and heavier. The band strives to bridge the gap between classic melodic rock and contemporary metal. Of course, “strives” and “succeeds” are not the same things…

Failure insinuated, let’s focus for a moment on what works. First and foremost, the guitar tone is fantastic; a six-string beast with the kind of muscle that just slams your ears. This is not created solely by studio sorcery either; these axe-slingers can really play, as evidenced by the sharp solos and sizzling licks that slither through the sonic landscape. In keeping with modern trends, the sound is very bass-centric and you can feel the thunderous grooves deep in your bones, shaking up your marrow like a blender set on “Pulverize.” Matching the bass blow for blow are the drums which pack a wicked wallop, keeping the beat like a bully doing the face-punch fiesta on the playground weakling. Vocalist Matt Mitchell headlines it all with professional skill and frontman machismo and displays great range while doing so. He and his band mates are better than the material deserves.

Well, most of the material anyway. There are a couple of standout tracks, but they are crushed and subdued by the other songs on the album that are either too long, too boring, or more often than not, both. The band is also hamstrung like a wolf-slashed elk by their desire to be too many things to too many people. One minute they’re cranking out crunchy hard rock, the next they’re unleashing heavy metal. One moment the songs are melodious, the next they’re dark and grungy. One second they sound retro, the next they sound modern as anything on mainstream radio. Trying to invest in an album of this nature is as tough as dating a schizophrenic chick who refuses to take her medication.

Helping about as much as a can of kerosene helps put out a forest fire is the fact that Furyon fails to grasp the concept of album flow, mixing commercial-friendly four-minute songs with tracks that drag on seven or eight minutes. This just doesn’t work. Not for Furyon, not for any band. Prog-metal fans might enjoy the long-running epics but will be annoyed by the hard rock anthems, and vice versa. Forcing listeners to hit the Skip button again and again in order to find a song that suits their style preferences is not likely to generate good will.

It is criminal that the band opens with one of its best tracks, “Disappear Again,” raising expectations with its heavily melodic punch and soaring chorus, only to spend the rest of the album sending those expectations plunging into the abyss. While there are a few other okay tracks, the only one that rivals this opener is “Voodoo Me,” which comes out of the gate like a thoroughbred with its tail ablaze and hurtles along on the strength of snarled vocals, throbbing bass, pounding guitars, and a hook-and-harmony drenched sing-along chorus. More tunes like these two and Gravitas would have been a classic, but instead we get throwaway fillers (“Stand Like Stone”), impatience-inducing snoozers (“Fear Alone”), and a ballad that leaves you begging for it to be over (“Our Peace Someday”).

Furyon have got what it takes to be a contender in both the melodic metal and the modern metal markets. Unfortunately, this album does not. This is one of those cases where the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Criticism of this album is warranted; however, dismissal of this band is not. Expect Furyon’s next effort to give the rock/metal world a serious kick in the ass. There is no doubt they have a killer album inside them; they just need to find a way to bring it out.

Genre: Metal

Band:
Matt Mitchell (vocals)
Chris Green (guitars)
Pat Heath (guitars)
Alex Bowen (bass)
Lee Farmery (drums)

Track Listing
1. Disappear Again
2. Stand Like Stone
3. Souvenirs
4. Don’t Follow
5. New Way of Living
6. Voodoo Me
7. Fear Alone
8. Wasted on You
9. Our Peace Someday
10. Desert Suicide
11. Voodoo Me (acoustic)
12. Souvenirs (acoustic)

Webpage: www.furyon.net

Label: Frontiers Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 6/10

Pretty Maids | It Comes Alive – Maid in Switzerland

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Long running Danish melodic metal masters Pretty Maids are back with another live offering this year, their first since 2003’s Alive at Least. It Comes Alive – Maid in Switzerland is the title, and it is being released in conjunction with the band’s first-ever live DVD. The DVD will no doubt rule, but this review covers only the audio half of the show.

Spanning two discs and 21 tracks, It Comes Alive is the most comprehensive live album the band has released to date, and accordingly it covers all eras of the band’s lengthy career. They don’t quite hit every album, but you get songs from their ‘80s releases Red Hot and Heavy and Future World, ‘90s albums Lethal Heroes (a.k.a. Jump the Gun), Sin-Decade, Scream and Anything Worth Doing is Worth Overdoing, as well as more recent albums Carpe Diem, Wake Up to the Real World and Pandemonium. Future World and Pandemonium are the most heavily represented here, and that’s not a bad thing at all since those are arguably the band’s best albums.

Beyond being a hefty, comprehensive live set, the performance captured on It Comes Alive is just incredible. This is not a band that is just going through the motions or simply serving up note-for-note reproductions of their studio songs. Pretty Maids has a fantastic energy live that comes through in every song. Each song sounds almost brand-new, and between the band’s energy and the feedback they’re getting from the crowd it’s almost like being there in person.

While the smart money is on the full DVD package, the audio version of It Comes Alive is still a fantastic live release, and one that all serious Pretty Maids fans will want to check out. For fans here in the US, It Comes Alive is a terrific preview of what to expect when Pretty Maids finally plays here in America at the ProgPower USA festival this September.

Edition Notes: If you’re buying It Comes Alive in MP3 format, you’ll get an extra track – “Nightmare in the Neighborhood” – that’s not on the CD version.

Genre: Melodic Metal

Band:
Ken Hammer (g)
Ronnie Atkins (v)
Allan Tschicaja (d)
Morten Sandager (k)
Rene Shades (b)

Track Listing:
1. Pandemonium
2. INVU
3. Hell on High Heels
4. Wake Up to the Real World
5. Destination Paradise
6. Another Shot
7. Scream
8. Walk Away
9. It Comes at Night
10. Queen of Dreams
11. Savage Heart
12. Clay
13. Yellow Rain
14. Rock the House
15. Back to Back
16. Rodeo
17. Love Games
18. Future World
19. Little Drops of Heaven
20. Please Don’t Leave Me
21. Red Hot and Heavy

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: www.prettymaids.dk

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10

Joe Lynn Turner

by Ron Higgins
Staff Writer –

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the release of a brand new album from Sunstorm, vocal great Joe Lynn Turner’s popular AOR side project with German/American producer Dennis Ward. EMOTIONAL FIRE was released on February 28th in North America. EMOTIONAL FIRE features production and mixing by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome, Angra) and a track listing rounded out with songs written by the likes of Soren Kronkvist (Crash the System, Issa), Tom and James Martin (Vega, Sunstorm, Khymera) and Daniel Palmqvist (Xorigin, The Murder of My Sweet).

Joe Lynn Turner’s impressive career features more than 60 album credits. From his early days with Fandango to the success he later enjoyed with (Ritchie Blackmore’s) Rainbow, Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen and an 11-album solo career, the New Jersey-born singer has covered a wide number of musical styles with his inimitable vocals. He has also fronted several star-studded projects including Brazen Abbot, The Hughes-Turner Project (with ex-Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes), Mother’s Army, the “all-star” group Big Noize and many others.

Hardrock Haven: Hi Joe. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. It’s an honor speaking with someone who has been such an integral part of the world of rock music.

Joe Lynn Turner: I thank you for your kind words.

HRH: I’ve been listening to the new record now for several weeks and I really love it. Right from the opening track, “Never Give Up,” it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s the perfect cruising-with-the-top-down kind of album. What kind of feedback have you gotten so far?

JLT: The fans seem to love Sunstorm once again! The guys at Frontiers had a great concept and the fans are keeping it going!

HRH: The first two Sunstorm albums consisted of songs you wrote back in the ’80s, whereas this third album is primarily a collection of songs that featured you as a background singer for other artists. Interestingly, three of the songs were written by Michael Bolton. “Gina” was originally featured on Michael’s 1987 album The Hunger and the title track “Emotional Fire” and “You Wouldn’t Know Love” both appeared on Cher’s 1989 album Heart of Stone. Although it may seem strange to some that this album features three Michael Bolton songs, anyone who is familiar with Michael’s early work knows that he was basically a hard rock singer on his first couple of solo records before switching to the Adult Contemporary work that made him famous.

JLT: Thank you for pointing that out. So many people do not know this. Bolton’s rock material was played on many AOR stations, especially in the Northeast/USA. He had a major hard rock following in his early years.

HRH: In fact, prior to his solo stuff he was a member of a hard rock band called Blackjack. Are any of the other songs on the record songs you sang backup on for other artists or just the three Michael Bolton tracks?

JLT: On this 3rd Sunstorm, there are the two Bolton tracks and one Cher track. I sang back up vocals on those songs in the ’80s. As for the others, I did not originally sing or collaborate on those. Frontiers picked them out because they go along with the Sunstorm sound and concept and fans seem to like them.

HRH: I found it interesting that the new record has two songs named after women, “Gina” and “Emily.” Do you know if these songs were written about anyone in particular or what the inspiration was for them?

JLT: I do not know about Emily, but Gina was supposedly part of Bolton’s life at one point.

HRH: From the feedback I’ve seen so far people really seem to be enjoying this new record. It’s probably too early to ask, but do you think there will be a 4th Sunstorm album?

JLT: I sure hope so! I did not get a chance to contribute any of my songs from my archives this time. My hard drive was packed away during a move in the USA while I was in Turkey on both business and vacation. The guys at Frontiers were on a deadline. So… maybe I will bring out some of those other songs in the 4th Sunstorm (if a 4th one is recorded).

HRH: Are there any plans to do any kind of touring to support this record? I realize that it’s a project so a tour probably isn’t very likely but maybe you could do a one-off show for a festival or two. What are your thoughts?

JLT: Touring? I wish! I hope! But, we would need some serious financial backing from either the record company or sponsors. If we were offered a festival spot, if it made good business sense and if the guys who played on the record, including Dennis Ward, were available… sure that would be great!

HRH: Speaking of the amazing Dennis Ward, he seems to have a golden touch when it comes to melodic AOR releases. Tell me about your relationship with him. Did you get to know him through Frontiers or did you have a relationship with him before that?

JLT: I had been familiar with his music with Pink Cream and other projects but, no, I did not know him before Sunstorm. However, I do want to mention that I am really glad we connected because he is one of the best producers out there…maybe a bit underrated by those who have not heard of him.

HRH: Many people may not know that before you focused on being a singer you were actually a guitarist. So did you teach Ritchie how to play or Yngwie?!

JLT: LOL… No… I did not teach either to play anything! They are both brilliant!

HRH: Seriously though, do you play any guitar on the new album?

No, I did not play guitar on this or any of the Sunstorm CDs. The Sunstorm musicians are all superb so there is no reason to do so… I just concentrate on my vocals.

HRH: Growing up in the video age of the 1980’s I vividly remember the tremendous impact videos had on music. Specifically, I remember learning about Rainbow from watching some of your videos. I still can’t walk past a bunch of mirrors without thinking about the video for “Stone Cold!” And “Street of Dreams” was really trippy with the psychiatrist kidnapping his patient’s girlfriend or something like that. Are there any plans to do any videos for this new record?

JLT: Thank you for enjoying those memories. I agree, Rainbow had some good videos including one that won an award. There are no plans to do a video for any of the tracks on Sunstorm at this time.

HRH: I saw you at the first MelodicRockFest back in 2007. One of the highlights of the night for me and many of those in attendance was hearing you and Jeff Scott Soto singing “Since You’ve Been Gone” together. Do you have any special memories from that performance or that event?

JLT: It was a great event! I saw so many people I had not seen in a long time so it was like a “lovefest.”

HRH: Several years ago I transcribed an interview for a friend of mine from Down Under between him and you. One of my favorite parts of the interview was when you talked about saving Yngwie Malmsteen’s life. That was some crazy stuff! What, if anything, is your relationship with Yngwie today?

JLT: It is civil. We did end up working together on a cover CD that he did several years ago and then we both played in Russia for the Prime Minister’s cabinet in a command performance concert.

HRH: That’s great to hear. Many singers’ voices seem to degrade over time but yours sounds exactly the same if not better than it did way back in the early days when you used to sing for Fandango. What do you do to keep your voice in such great shape?

JLT: I eat very healthy, stay hydrated and I get a lot of sleep. My management will often negotiate a day off between every two tour dates because more than two in a row can really stress your voice out. It’s better to do two on, one or two days off, preserve the voice and give the fans who go to the shows a better show.

HRH: I’ve heard you refer to yourself as having a chameleon-like voice with the ability to sing different styles and with different techniques (head, chest, throat). Have you always been able to sing like that or is that something you’ve trained yourself to do over time?

JLT: It has developed over time to a degree but also comes from imitating other singers to stretch out and challenge myself.

HRH: Three or four years ago you did a really cool version of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” with Phil Collen of Def Leppard on a tribute album (Thunderbolt). You pulled off some amazing gravelly vocals that sounded nothing like the smooth tone we usually expect from you. You were definitely giving Brian Johnson a run for his money!

JLT: Several fans tell me they like my interpretation of “Back In Black” because it sounds similar to Brian Johnson but also has my own personal stamp on it. The greatest compliment I did receive was from Roger Glover when he said, “Joe Lynn Turner has found his OWN voice.”

HRH: I know that you guys are friends so I’m curious if you’ve had a chance to read his new book?

JLT: Thank you and no, unfortunately I have not read his book yet but I did get to sit in the Formula One racing car!

HRH: That’s awesome! By the way, can he really make his voice sound like classic crooners like Dean Martin?

JLT: Absolutely! I do Frank (Sinatra) and he does Dean (Martin) when we get together and have a few drinks.

HRH: Ha Ha, that’s great. I’d love to hear that! As your fans are well aware, I’m sure, you, along with Ritchie Blackmore’s son Jürgen and other former members of Rainbow, formed a band called Over The Rainbow a few years ago and it was quite popular, with 15-20,000 people watching you at Sweden Rock Fest. What is the status of OTR right now?

JLT: Over The Rainbow is on hiatus for now. We all have other projects we are working on. We could come back for a show or festival if it was the right situation, financially, and if everyone was available. So, I do not want to rule that possibility out.

HRH: Okay, good to know. Even if this project is temporarily or permanently on hiatus, is there any chance there will be a studio or live album from this project?

JLT: That is not a part of the plan right now.

HRH: Got it. I loved the story of your initiation into Rainbow and how you thought it was a joke when Ritchie Blackmore first called you. What is your relationship with Ritchie today?

JLT: It’s very polite, courteous. I sent him and Candace well wishes on the birth of their child. We exchange messages off an on.

HRH: Cool. I read in one of your interviews that you actually received a few phone calls from the President of Russia, President Medvedev. That’s pretty interesting. Can you tell us what that was all about?

JLT: Just to clarify… he did not call me on the phone. I performed for him/his staff.

HRH: Oh, cool. Thanks for clarifying. What is on your mp3 player these days? Any newer bands?

JLT: Johnny Lang is amazing! I also like Nickelback, Papa Roach, Apocalyptica and I especially enjoy Rammstein while working out.

HRH: Do you have any plans to do any more HTP stuff with Glenn Hughes? I assume he’s pretty busy with Black Country Communion and of course you’re busy so I’d be surprised if you guys were working on anything. I will say, it’s nice to see Glenn having such success with BCC. He’s an incredibly talented guy and the acclaim is well deserved. Joe Bonamassa is amazing too. I know you worked with him on some of your early solo stuff. Did you always know that he’d be such a big success?

JLT: No immediate plans but it would be great to do another HTP record. He and I are both really busy with other things. I agree with you… Bonamassa is amazing. I was always in his corner, hoping his music would take off and be successful. The business is crazy sometimes in that it does not always reward people with enormous talent. I am glad he has had a lot of success.

HRH: Me too. Mother’s Army released three albums back in the ‘90s. Is there any chance we’ll see a 4th album?

JLT: I wish! The boxed set came out and then there was some talk about a 4th but the financial situation was not right… it’s an unfortunate state of the industry right now.

HRH: You also worked with a Norwegian bassist Jan Holberg (The Jan HolbergProject), what can you tell us about that?

JLT: He contacted me. I liked his material. He was great to work with both in the collaboration/recording process and on tour. We did several shows together. It looks like we will be joining forces for more songs on his next record and more shows.

HRH: Great! Do you have any plans yet for your next solo album?

JLT: Nothing concrete at this moment.

HRH: You did a cool version of “Street Of Dreams” on the Blackmore’s Night album The Village Lanterne a few years ago (2006). Is there any chance of more collaborations between you guys?

JLT: I don’t think so but if they asked me again, I would certainly consider it.

HRH: Throughout your long career you have traveled the world over many times. What have been some of your most memorable experiences from traveling the world?

JLT: Too many to list or describe! I could write a book! It’s just the overall experience of everything from tasting new foods to experiencing another culture. I lived in Turkey and Russia for long enough to feel a bit like a resident. I think everyone should do as much traveling as he or she can afford. It makes you a much larger person…the best education ever.

HRH: As a man that has been around the block a time or two, you look great and you sound great. Is there any advice you can give our readers for staying young at heart?

JLT: Yes… never surrender to conformity based on your or age, decade, etc. Youth is a state of mind… young hearts are free.

HRH: Great advice! I really like the concept behind your Big Noize project too, which featured Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot/Ratt), Vinny Apice (Black Sabbath), & Phil Soussan (Beggars and Thieves). Is this project still active?

JLT: It’s not “active” at this moment in that we have no confirmed shows or new “news” to pass along but that is because we also have other things we are working on now. If the right situation was proposed to us and if we were all available, we may get together for it… a show, festival or other offer.

HRH: “Battlefields” is a cool song so it would be great to hear some more original stuff from you guys.

JLT: Thank you. As I say… never say never. I love working with the Big Noize guys and we could definitely write more material if the situation and our schedules allowed.

HRH: Who are your vocal and guitarist inspirations?

JLT: Vocally, Paul Rodgers is my main influence. Guitar? Hendrix, of course!

HRH: Do you have any final thoughts or comments you’d like to share?

JLT: I would like to thank the fans for their continued support of my solo and other projects such as Sunstorm. They help keep me young and passionate about the music! I would also like to thank Hardrock Haven for your support.

WORD ASSOCIATION:

• Deep Purple – My favorite classic rock band
• Rainbow – My 2nd favorite classic rock band
• Ritchie Blackmore – Brilliant
• Yngwie Malmsteen – Intense
• MTV – Video killed the radio star

Favorites:

• Restaurant – Biaggis in Colorado Springs
• Sport – American Football
• Soda – it’s poison; I do not drink it
• Singer – Paul Rodgers
• Band – (artist) – Johnny Lang
• Song – Try a Little Tenderness from Otis Redding
• Actor – Al Pacino
• Drink – Martini Bianco
• Sight – My wife naked
• Smell – My wife
• Possession – guitars
• Fast food restaurant – poison; I do not eat at those places
• TV Show – Fashion Police (I do not watch a lot of TV shows)
• Cartoon Character – Tasmanian Devil
• Saying/Quote – “Angels Can Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly”

Either/Or:

• Pepsi or Coke? – neither
• Domestic or Import? – import
• Football or Soccer? – Football (American)
• Radio or Television – It depends on what is on
• Beach or Mountains? – On the beach where you can also see the mountains.
• Dogs or Cats? – Dogs!
• Ocean or Pools? – Ocean
• Summer or Winter? – Summer
• Sunrise or Sunset? – Both are magical
• Chocolate or Vanilla? – Chocolate
• Big Mac or Whopper? – I don’t eat either
• Beer or Wine? – Peroni Beer
• Coffee or Tea? – Coffee
• Mary Ann or Ginger? – Ginger
• Sammy or Dave? – If you mean Van Halen…Sammy.

Complete The Sentence:

• Never in my life have I been… “with” a man.
• When I’m nervous… I talk a lot.
• The last song I listened to was… something by Johnny Lang.
• When I was 5… I was the person I am now (according to my Mother)
• Last Christmas… I flew home from Russia and made it just in time for my daughter’s Christmas dinner.
• The happiest recent event was… my marriage.
• If I were a character on TV I’d be… Al Jolson…I love to Singa!
• By this time next year…I will be rocking (and rolling).
• My current gripe is… GMO (genetically modified organism) food.
• I have a hard time understanding… what’s going on with the state of the world right now.
• You know I like you when… I tease you.
• If you visited the place I was born you would find… very humble beginnings.
• The world could do without… war and greed.
• The worst job I’ve ever had is… as a construction worker on a building working with concrete.
• The best job I’ve ever had is…mine!
• Most recent thing someone else bought me was… an inspirational book by David Spangler called “The Call.”
• The last book I read was… “The Call”
• The best book I’ve read was “The Biggest Secret” by David Icke.
• The last movie I saw was… Hugo.
• The best movie I’ve ever seen was… Apocalypto.
• My hidden talent is… cooking.
• One thing you probably don’t know about me is… I am hysterically funny.
• Something I miss from when I was a kid is… innocence.
• My pet peeve is… greedy, phony, arrogant people.
• The best advice I ever got was… to never give up!

HRH: Thanks, Joe. We really appreciate your taking the time to speak with us today. Best wishes for continued success in all of your musical endeavors!

For more information, please visit: www.joelynnturner.com.

Chris Shrum of Benedictum

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer –

Benedictum recently wrapped a very successful North American tour in support of their latest release Dominion on Frontiers Records. The San Diego based band fronted by Veronica Freeman is making a great impact on music fans from the East Coast to West Coast. Benedictum have a distinctive hard edge ’80s sound reminiscent of Dio and Savatage. Bassist Chris Shrum recently checked in with Hardrock Haven to discuss Dominion.

HRH: Thank you for checking in with Hardrock Haven. The band has a new album out called Dominion. Tell us about the writing process for this album.

Chris: It was basically a little bit of everybody pitched in on it. We all kind of came in and shared riffs basically. Veronica put her polish on it with her incredible vocals. She is such a great lyricist. She is a really good writer. She writes really good topics and good story like lyrics. Everything just kind of came together really well. We were working with a new producer on this Cd Ryan Greene. He did really well for us on it.

HRH: How do you think it differs from the band’s two previous releases?

Chris: It is a little raw. As far as tone wise. There were some good messages on there also. It was a little bit more upbeat with different drum styles. We had a new drummer on this CD, Micky Pannone. It was kind of a new twist to everything. This was actually my first CD with Benedictum also. I have been with the band for four years now. Micky the drummer has been with the band for two and a half years.

HRH: You also have some interesting guest stars on this album including Jeff Pilson. Jeff produced the band’s first two releases. What was it like working with Jeff Pilson?

Chris: Right! He does a really cool duet kind of an acoustic kind of thing between him and Veronica. They do some really cool harmonies.

HRH: You also have Rudy Sarzo appearing on the song “Bang.”

Chris: Yes, he came on for a bass track on there and tore it up.

HRH: Are Jeff and Rudy two of your favorite bass players form the ’80s? Benedictum kind of has a hard edge ’80s influence to the sound like Savatage.

Chris: Yes, that is when we all grew up. It kind of shows. We all kind of have a little bit of different influences but writing wise our styles really coincide well together.

HRH: How did you come up with the title Dominion?

Chris: I would say at that point when we were working on the album we were going through some stuff personally and business wise. With a label at the time that had some problems and ended up going bankrupt basically. If you listen to some of the lyrics, some of the stories are very true to heart with what we were going through as far as the musical point in our life. It came from within.

HRH: It is awesome that you have a girl fronting the band. It adds a lot to the music. Veronica is such a great songwriter.

Chris: She is such a powerful persona onstage. Her vocals and everything comes off so big.

HRH: The band recently wrapped up a North American tour. I know you recently performed in Vegas. What were some of the highlights from the tour?

Chris: We started down in Orlando and worked our way up the East Coast ending up in Baltimore, MD before heading home. There were a lot of really good shows. It was strange because we started out in Florida and it was really hot. Then we went to the North East part of the coast and it was freezing cold. It was a tour of weather also. (Laughter) We meant a lot of really cool people. We played a lot of really great clubs. We worked with a really great band out of New York Des Demon. Also a female fronted band.

HRH: What are your future touring plans? Are you going to hit the road again soon?

Chris: We sure hope so. Things are in the works right now. Actually, at this time we are working on some new material for our upcoming CD. Jeff Pilson will be back producing this album.

HRH: As a new band on the rise. What do you hope to accomplish in the music industry today?

Chris: That is a big question. More or less getting out there supporting our new CD. Dominion is fairly new. We still need to get back to Europe.

HRH: How was the European tour?

Chris: That was more of a short tour thing. We were in and out. That was in October for the Metal Female Vocal Festival. That was a must. We had to go back. We played it before in 2008. It was a great show and incredible venue. Everything over there the European crowds and the people, the stage crew was a whole another level of production.

HRH: Is there anything else that you want to say about Dominion?

Chris: There is a lot to listen to on it. It is a good example of what we are shooting for. We will be working with Jeff Pilson again. He has such finesse with arrangement and production. I am really excited to work with him on this one. Ryan Greene was a great producer to work with also. The ways things worked out Jeff wasn’t available to work with at that point and Ryan was for Dominion. It turned out really well. But Jeff will be available for our upcoming release.

HRH: That is awesome. Thank you for checking in with us Chris.

NEW JERSEY ROCKERS TYKETTO TO RELEASE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 18 YEARS: “DIG IN DEEP” DUE OUT APRIL 24TH IN NORTH AMERICA VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the release of the first new album in 18 years from New Jersey rockers Tyketto: DIG IN DEEP is due out on April 24th in North America and features the original line-up. With recent appearances at Sweden Rock, Download, Firefest, Hard Rock Hell and Hard in Rio, the band realized they still had a huge fan base worldwide and the timing was perfect for a new album. The first single, “Faithless,” can be exclusively streamed on Frontiers Records’ web radio now; click here to check it out. Tyketto will headline Firefest in the United Kingdom in October, 2012. Read more

TRIXTER IS READY TO GIVE IT TO YOU GOOD WITH FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 20 YEARS: “NEW AUDIO MACHINE” DUE OUT IN APRIL ON FRONTIERS RECORDS

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the return of good-time rock n’ rollers, Trixter; the band’s first new album in 20 years, NEW AUDIO MACHINE, has been confirmed for a release date on April 20th in Europe and April 24th in North America. Featuring the band’s original line-up, NEW AUDIO MACHINE is produced and engineered by Chuck Alzakian (Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Tesla) and includes songwriting contributions by Skid Row’s Snake Sabo and Rachel Bolan and former Styx member Glen Burtnik. Trixter frontman Pete Loran commented, “After all these years playing and recording with this band, I would say I am most proud of this record!” Lead guitarist Steve Brown added, “NEW AUDIO MACHINE is everything Trixter was and everything we are now. I can’t wait for the world to hear it!” Read more

SWEDISH HARD ROCKERS CRAZY LIXX’S NEW ALBUM “RIOT AVENUE” SLATED FOR APRIL 24TH NORTH AMERICAN RELEASE VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the release of the new album from Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx: RIOT AVENUE is due out on April 24th in North America. Self-produced, RIOT AVENUE finds Crazy Lixx in fine form with eleven sexy, hard-rocking new tracks on the their third studio release (the second for the Frontiers Records label). The first single, “In The Night,” can be exclusively streamed on Frontiers Records’ web radio now; click here to check it outPlease see below for the album’s complete track listing. Read more

Next Page »